Capital’s free LPG cylinder scheme for women to launch before Diwali
New Delhi: The Delhi government, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, is aiming to roll out its free and subsidized LPG cylinder scheme for women from low-income households before Diwali. The scheme, which promises two free cylinders annually along with a subsidized monthly supply, was a key promise during the BJP’s election campaign, but its implementation has faced delays due to issues with beneficiary data.
Officials within the Delhi government say the delay in launching the scheme is largely due to discrepancies in the records left by the previous administration. “There were significant gaps in the data maintained by the previous government. Many beneficiaries listed under previous schemes were either ineligible or fraudulent. We’re in the process of cleaning up these records to ensure the scheme benefits only those who truly need it,” said a senior official working on the project.
The initiative, which will provide two free LPG cylinders per year, one each on Holi and Diwali, and a subsidized monthly cylinder at Rs.500 for the remaining months, has the potential to ease the financial burden on many households. The delay has raised concerns, but officials are confident that the scheme will be up and running soon.
The government’s plan to implement this scheme has been under focus for several months, and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has earlier emphasized the importance of accurate data in ensuring the success of such welfare programs. He mentioned that the government is taking all necessary steps to streamline the process and launch the scheme as soon as possible.
Officials also noted that the eligibility criteria for the scheme will include women who have LPG connections registered in their names. The government is currently finalizing the beneficiary lists to ensure that those most in need will receive the assistance. “We are ensuring that the process is transparent and efficient,” said another government official.
The initial rollout of the scheme had to be postponed due to poor data management by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, which had held power before the BJP’s win in February. A senior official from the Delhi government noted that proper beneficiary database management is crucial for the success of any welfare program, which is why the cleanup process is taking longer than expected.
The government is leveraging the Ujjwala Yojana database to streamline the rollout of its new scheme, ensuring inclusion of existing beneficiaries. However, opposition leaders have condemned the BJP for the delay, calling it a sign of administrative failure. “Instead of launching the scheme, they’re offering excuses about data cleaning,” said an AAP leader, criticising the missed deadline.
